SSS Ranked Awakening: I Can Rewind Time!

Name: Dean

Origin name: UNKNOWN

Dark Core: Dormant

Dark Fragments: [115/1000]

Soul/ Arcane Relics: [Forgotten Blade], [Monochrome Thorn]

Traits: [Contingency], [Scion Of Divinity And Profanity]

Aspects: [Scion Of Emotions]

Innate Ability: [Foresight.]

Raising my brows as I read through the ancient runes, I realized that I had grown considerably stronger over the past few weeks.

Of course, there had been no change to my traits, innate ability, and aspects. Though... I expected there to be a slight change in my aspect. At least in the aspect’s ability. However, going through the runes representing my aspect, there was still nothing but the same harrowing ability.

Ember’s Bloom.

One which I certainly wouldn’t be using anytime soon. If ever at all.

...And the reason as to why I’d arrived at such a conclusion wasn’t without valid reasons. During Azrael’s final moments, just before his death, I was able to invade into a mysterious space that recorded every single moment of his life. From the abandonment by his mum, to the somber, torturous days in the secret cult, and finally, to when he gave in to the madness.

So, from that fact alone, and based on the fact that Ember’s bloom certainly does nothing of such, it stands to reason that the ability I’d shown at that moment was another ability.

One which wasn’t recorded by the spell due to some chilling reasons. And that certainly didn’t really sit well with me.

"But well, on the bright side of things. Not only have I crossed a minor milestone in my core’s saturation process, I have also gained two Arcane relics. Even if the first is too powerful to be used by me, or any other dormant Arcanist for that matter."

Exhaling in exasperation, I focused on the shimmering runes describing the [Monochrome Thorn]

Hopefully, this could at least be used. And since it came from the dark shadow, I had no doubt that its rank and class would be tremendously high. It was in that moment that the shimmering set of ancient runes appeared before me.

"..."

Arcane Relic: [Monochrome Thorn]

Relic Rank: Ascendant

Relic Tier: V

About to move on, I suddenly froze, staring wide-eyed at the relic’s tier.

"T-tier V."

I muttered in disbelief.

After all, the nightmarish entity was only a tier four creature. Though, considering the terrifying strength it had displayed, I had more or less reasons to not believe that. However, could the spell even be wrong?

That... I doubted was possible. So... it stands to reason that the spell must have classified it as a tier four creature for a reason. As for why a tier four creature could bring about a tier five relic, while it was possible, and wasn’t something inconceivable, I had a guess about the situation in regards to the dark creature.

If I had to guess, it was because though it had only four cores, those four cores even among other evils, were horrifyingly profane and... unholy.

’It was like the saying: Even among rich and wealthy men, they were tiers and grades to them.’

Wondering who had coined that, I frowned a little, and moved on with the relic’s description.

Relic Type: Charm

I wasn’t too surprised by that. Though I was expecting something more grand. But well...

Relic Description: [Born from guilt. Forged in sorrow, and empowered by death. The more the wearer kills, the closer they are to the ones they thought they’d buried.

[...Forged from the soul of a fallen being who bore the weight of tragedies too heavy to name, the Monochrome Thorn offers power in exchange for the wielder’s sanity. The more the wearer uses it, the closer they’re to descending into the world of madness.]

A deep frown marred my features as I read through the relic’s description. Each line only further served to deepen that frown.

’What’s the essence of giving me powerful relics that I can’t even make use of?!’

I cursed at the spell. Growling in anger, I gritted my teeth, and read through the shimmering runes.

Arcane Enchantment: [Fervor Of The Lost], [Abyssal Grasp], [Echoes Of Grief], [Dark Eclipse]

Focusing on the first runic character,

"...."

A set of runic words materialized before me.

Arcane Enchantment [Fervor Of The Lost]: [For every enemy slain, the wearer’s physical capabilities are enhanced. Speed, strength, and reaction time increases in proportion to the number of enemies slain in a short period of time. Eventually stacking up to a limit.]

"Not bad. Paired with the [Betrayal’s Reach], and [Cold Reaper] enchantments, my strength was bound to reach terrifying heights in a battle of attrition. Especially one of a larger scale."

I nodded, moving on to the next enchantment.

Abyssal Grasp: [Temporarily enter a state of emotive clarity where the wearer’s next attack ignores armor and defenses, striking directly at the target’s essence. However, using this skill consumes a large portion of the wielder’s soul essence.]

With a wide grin, I felt like laughing heartedly, but upon remembering the dire situation surrounding the use of the soul relic, I groaned in dismay and read on.

"Hopefully I find something useful."

Something that could negate the side effects of the arcane relic to a certain extent.

Echoes Of Grief: {Curse}: [With each kill, the wearer begins to hear faint whispers, feel creeping insidious dread, and begins to see apparitions. Enemies go through the same harrowing effect.

However, the hallucinations and side effects grow stronger over time, eroding the boundary between reality and illusion.]

’Just fuck this shit! Curse you spell! I curse you to eternal doom!’

At this point, I was on the verge of losing it. Wasn’t it even better to reward me with nothing, than rewarding me with relics not only too powerful to be used by me, but with such a wide variety of side effects.

"Agh!"

Rubbing my temples, and dulling the intense migraine rising forth, I weakly read through the last enchantment.

Dark Eclipse: [Temporarily blots out light in a wide area, plunging everything into utter darkness. During this time, only the wearer can see clearly.]

"As expected of a tyrant classed relic." I muttered under my breath. "Combined with my ability to sense shadows, I could see various ways in which the use of this enchantment could result in a morbid massacre."

Nodding, even if I felt a pang of pain surging through me, a frown slowly crept up on my features.

I hadn’t thought about it before, at least not from that perspective, but now that I viewed it from a different lense, from a different perspective, I realized a terrifying fact.

One that could potentially save me from the side effects of the [Monochrome Throne]